Condenser



June 30, 1925.

E. H. VINCENT CONDENSER Filed Aug. 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n p, h, 7/22??? 2 Z EPNEST H. V/A/cE/vt June 30, 1925.

E. H. VINCENT CONDENSER 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 21

I222/22f02". ERNEST H. VINCENT .Httorneys.

V in? 1 2 n. j i M Pate nte clJune 30, 19 25 i a UNITED" STATES ERNEST H.

PATENT OFFICE.

vmcaur, or OAKLAND, onmromvra, assmuoa or ONE-HALF TO nanman cimrsmusmr, or'san rnmcxsco; camromvm.

CONDENSER.

' Application filed Augustin, 1922. Serial No. 583,163.

I To all whom it may concern:

I particularly pertains to a steam condenser or use in connectiomwith steam propelled automobiles and the like.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a condenser adapted to be used in conjunction with a steam engine and boiler providing propulsion means for an automobile, and which condenser is compact in its construction, eflicient in operation, and so designed as to permit the various parts to be removed, interchanged and to be held in their operative positions without being strained, twisted, or otherwise placed under tension.

The present invention contemplates the use of a radiator structure supported at the forward end of an automobile hood, and embodying a plurality of vertically extending air cooled tubes mounted in a manner to permit thorough circulation of air among the tubes and an eflicient condensation of the aqueous vapor passing through the condenser.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation showing the assembled condenser as mounted at the forward end of an automobile chassis, with parts broken away to more clearly'disclose its construction. i

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse vertical section showing the complete condenser.

Fig. 3 is. an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation showing the means for increasin heat radiation of the tubes.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 10 indicates a vehicle main frame, here shown as provided with a sub-frame 11 upon which a power plant is suspended. This plant may include a steam boiler, steam engine andconde-nser. The condenser with which the present invention is concerned is mounted at the forward end of the frame and is embodied within a structure somewhat resembling that of the ordinary automobile radiator. This device comprises a dome 12 mounted upon a supporting frame 13 to which the dome is bolted. The lower Wall of the dome is formed by a separate tube sheet 14 through which a plurality of vertically extending condenser tubes 15 are arranged. These tubes are spaced from each other and form a nest substantially rectan-' 'gular in horizontal cross section. The tubes are each formed with 'helically arranged radiating fins 16. The lower ends of the tubes extend through a bottom sheet 17 forming the -lower part of the frame 13. This member is formed with a plurality of stuffing boxes 18 carrying glands 19. These glands act upon packing 20 to prevent leakage of the condensate from the reservoir structure 21.

Secured directly below the floor member 18 is an auxiliary tube sheet 22. This sheet carries a plurality of tubes 22 which are in longitudinal alignment with tubes 15, but have their contiguous ends spaced a slight .distance from each other. This construction permits the effect of long tubes to be ob tained, while insuring that the tubes will notbe excessively distorted or twisted.

The extension tubes 22' project into a drain pan 23. This pan is secured within the reservoir 21 and is separate therefrom- The top of the pan, however, is opened so that the condensate may flow into the reservoir structure 21. The pan forms a transverse partition within the reservoir 21 and provides compartments 24 and 25. Communication between these compartments is afforded by tubes 26 extending completely across the lower portion of the pan. The reservoir structure 21 is formed with a rearwardly 29 is secured. A cover plate 30 may be devoir 21 shall be maintained at a predeter through the condensertubes 15. The condensate then passes outthe lower ends of the tubes onto the lower tube sheet 22 and will thereafter flow through the tubes 22,';into the. tank 23.. As described, the tank 23 is maintained completely filled with condensate or fresh water which entirely surrounds the extension tubes 22'. By the provision of the extension tubes 22 steam forcing its way downwardly throu h the tubes 15 must also pass downwardlyt rough the tubes 22, as these tubes are completely filled with water, due to maintaining the tank 23 filled, the steam must force its way downwardly through this condensate or fresh water, and then bubble up around the tubes, causing complete condensation of all exhaust steam passing into the condenser. Fresh water and the overflow from the tank may be drawn oif from the reservoir 21 through pipe 27 and pumped to "the boiler." The amount of water within the reservoir 21 may be com stantly determined by the indicator 32. It will thus be seenthat the invention here disclosed provides a' compact and eflicientcondenser adapted to have particular usefulness in connection with" steam driven automobile equipment. WhileI have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes might be madein the combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed." H I-Iaving thus described myinvention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is: 1. A condenser for use in combination with a steam driven automobile comprising an upper tube sheet, a tube nest rigidly suspended therefrom, a dome covering the up per end ofthe tube nest and which steam may be delivered, a b'ottom tubesheet throu h which-the tubes are yieldably supporte and an auxiliary tubenest communicating with the lower ends of the tubes and receiving thecondensate therefrom.

2. A condenser for use combination with a steam driven automobi e comprising an upper tube sheet, a tube nest rigidly suspended therefrom, a dome covering the upper end of the'tube nest and into which steam-may be'delivered, a bottom tube-sheet throu h which the tubes are yieldably supf por and an auxiliary tube nest communicatingwith the lower ends of the tubes and receiving the condensate therefrom, and a condensate pan intowhich said auxiliary tubes project.

3. A condenser for use in? combination with a steamdriven automobile comprising an upper tube sheet, a tube nest rigidly sus pended therefrom, a "dome covering the' upper end of the tube nest and into which steam may be delivered, a bottom tube sheet through which the tubes are yieldably sup-' orted, an auxiliary tube nest .communicat-' mg with the lower ends of the tubes and receivingthe condensate therefrom, a condensate pan into which said auxiliary tubes project, and afeed water reservoir within which the condensate pan is mounted and into which it may overflow.

4. A steam condenser for automobiles and the like, comprising an upper dome com municating with the exhaust ports of a steam engine, a tube sheet detachably securedto the bottom of said dome, a tube nest extend ing through said sheet and being fixed there to, the tubes of said nest being formed with radiating fins, a lower tube sheetfitted with stufling boxes through which the various tubes of the nest'extend and by which they are packed, an auxiliary tube nestsec ured beneath themain nest and with the two sets of tubes in longitudinal alignment, a con-' densate pan into which the auxiliary tube nest extends, a reservoir receiving the condensate pan, said pan forming a vertical transverse partition therein, and means for reservoir.

ERNEST H. VINCENT. 

